Index file



Nov. 9 192e. 1,606,118

l J. K. DE LoAcH INDEX FILE Original Filed May 21. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ford 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .m i, M mi: n. n M @N s .9 en@ N w. 1% um \N\\. SN 70 w S5333 s@ m INDEX FILE qriginal Filed may 21. A1924 Patented Nov. 9,' i926.

JOI-IN K. DE LOACH, OF ATLANTA, GERGIA.

INDEX FILE.

Application led May 21, 1924, Serial No. 714,876. Renewed August 20, 1926.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in filing devices. l

One object of the invention is to provide a filing` device wherein cards, letter folders, or the like, are used and wherein, regardless of the fact that the cards, etc., are arranged in a predetermined order, as for instance, in alphabetical order, certain cards, according to their classification and regardless of their position in the predetermined order, may be lifted above their fellows without disturbing said fellows, so that theindexes of said lifted cards will be visible and following the predetermined order.

Another object is to provide a filing device wherein cards, letter folders, kor the like, are used, and wherein special alphabetical or other index cards are dispensed with and service cards, that make up the complete contents ofthe file, used in as great or as small profusion as may be needful for the most complete visible indexing at a corresponding saving in space and material.

Another object is to provide a file box for containing the cards, or the like, having means arranged to cooperate with all cards of one classification upon movement in one direction and to cooperate. with all cards of another classification, upon movement in the other direction, whereby the number of operating means is reduced to the minimum.

A further object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the file box, with its card operating means, and the cards, that when the operating means is moved to elevate a group of cards of a certain classification, said operating means will engage with Vportions of the remaining cards to limit the movement of operating means in that direction.

A further object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the file box that a side wall shall be the fullheight of the cards, smoothly finished to reduce friction, and accurately spaced so that the cards are free to move smoothly up and down between them and yet not loosely. This Vobviates the tendency of the cards to. cock or-bind as would happen in a file with skeletonized or cut down sides when cards are 'raised in the manner yherein described.

A still. further object is to provide a file box'which is soV constructed thatA the cards will be supportedin a vert-ical position by partitions or walls= which may be either to the present invention. bottom vof the box, and extending,r along formed transversely formed in the side fixed or movable, and spaced at intervals l throughout the length of the file box, and thereby obviate the use of the usual follower boards, and permit the cards of the several batches to be relieved of the weight of the remaining cards, with the result that the Cards will be lifted with greater'ease, and manual accessibility permitted. Other objects and advantages will be apparent' from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. A In the drawings:

Figure lis a top plan view of a file box containing cards, and made in accordance with the invention. f `Y y .Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal-sec.- tionalv view on theline 2--2'of Figure 1. Figure 3 is vertical transverse sectional View on the line 3`3 of Figure 1. b Figure 4 is -a front elevation of the file yFigure 5 is aview of one of the cards.

l j Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional View through a cardfbox showing the use of cards retainedby longitudinal rods.

Referring particularly to thev accompanying drawing, l0 represents an elongated box, of a construction somewhat similar to the ordinary card index boxes or drawers now in use, with modifications to adapt` the same Secured to the the side walls thereof, are the strips 11, and in each ofthe stri-ps are the grooves l2, similar grooves 13 being walls of thebox, extending vertically in the inner faces thereof, and

vcommunicatingwith the grooves 12. In

these'grooves 12 and 13 aresecured thevertical1walls A14, the lowerV ends of which are the same width as that of the strip, while the upper ends are slightly narrowerv and project slightly lower than the top edges ofthe cards "before they are elevated. Se-

cured in the rear end wall of the box, below the upper faces of the strips 11, and above the bottom of the box, are the bushings: 15, while similar bushings y16 are secured in thev front wall of the box at the same elevation, and a longitudinal alignment-withy the bushings 15. Rotatably supported in these bushings 15 and 16 are the vend portions of the vcrank shafts 17, and crank portions v18`of which extend throughout the length of the ilo boX. Secured on the outer tace ot the front wall ot the boX, above the adjacent ends of the shafts 17, and having openings receiving the said ends therethrough, is a metal plate 19. On this plate, above the shaft ends, are numbers trom 0 to 9, and each shaft is provided with a button or knob* 20, which is adapted to be grasped to rotate the shaft.

- The cards, one oi which is indicated by the number 21, in Figure 5,. are placed in batches, between the walls or partitions 14C, so that the cards will be readily accessible by hand, and also that they will be relieved of the weight of the entire number of cards as is experienced in the usual card index boxes now in use. Printed on the card, .adjacent tothe lower edge of the card are numerals trom O to 9. These numerals are spaced apart so that a tab 22 may be secured to the card to cover any one of the numerals, said tab projecting below the lower edge ot the card. These numerals are positioned as a guide for the proper placing of the tab, and for a purpose that will presently be described more in detail.

The cards will be printed in blank' form to be filled' in with, such data as will bring the cards underV different classiiications. As a concrete example, the card illustrated is used in the automobile business, in which the dealer handles new and second hand cars of different makesY and the cars may be indexed under any one or several or" the following classes: O-Alphabetical index oi car owners 1-Buicks; 2-Cadillacs; o-Chev rolets; Liff-Essex; 5Fordsz 6-Maxwellsg 7-Mislcel.lraneous; 8Special bargains; 9` Liberal terms.y The card illustrated in the d'raiwingz` has three tabs projecting from the lower' edge, that before mentioned' as 29.', and the additional tabs 23 and 24. llilhile the tab 22* covers the O, the tabs 23 and 9A cover the 5 and 9 respectively. This would indicate that the card fell under the three classes, namely, the' name ot the owner, a Ford; and that it could be bought on liberal terms. YVhile thel particular card illustrated has three tabs, it will be understood that other cards may havev only one tab, or may have a greater number that would place them in more than three classes. Furthermore', it is apparent that if the nainesY ot all owners are placed in the tile in alphabetical order, they names. ofthe selected group of Ford owners will appear in alphabetical order when those cards are raised. to visibility. Furthermore it is apparent that no special alphabetical or other index cards are needed as the service cards themselves when raised to' visibility so that each car owner can be readY in alphabetical order, serve as a visible index.

The` lower ends" of the tabs are arranged to lie above, and at one side of a crank portion 18, so that when the shaft is rotated in one direction the crank will engage with the lower end' of the tab of one card and litt the card above the remaining cards in the bon., while upon turning, the shaft in theiother direction, the crank will enwith the tab of another card and elevate said card above the others. .lt will' thusV be seen' that upon rotating a shaft, the crank portion will elevate all cards of a certain classilicationin .the entire box above the remainingcards so that the entire classiiication et cards can be simultaneously inspected.

Suppose the dealer wishes to advertise all the special bargains and to get these quickly he turns the shaftbeneatli the 8" toward the left, which. causes the crank portion oi' that shaftt to engagev the tabs of all cards which are in the class of Special bargains, and lift the cards above the ren'iain-inp; cards in the box. Theydealer can then acertain from these cards, the names ot the owners in alphabetical order, the names ot the cars, prices, terms and the like interniation.vr

Printed in the upper right hand corner of each card is another series ot numbers trom O to 9 similar to that printed on the bottom edge oi the card, except smaller and more condensed. When any particular classification oi cards is raised to visibility these numbers are visible on each of the raised. cards and appear in more or less regular columns to theA operator. That is, all Os appear in orderly fashion, one above another and similarly the 1-23- (6471 64-597- 44677 CC777 4CC877 all; (977 of eachcard. lt' is apparent that it any of these numbers on any card are marked, as for instance byy a cross marl: with a lead pencil, it will' be instantly visible and this gives a subclassitication ot ten Jfor each of the main classifications or ten times ten or one hundred classiiications in all". Furthermore, by the use oi a. collection of cardsl in ten dit 'ferent colors or by the use of signals of any kind in ten different colors or by `the use of a large signal number to the left of the series of numbers in the upper right hand corner, as indicated in Figure 5v oi.V thel drawing, said. signal numbers ranging from O to 9, it will be seen that a further subdivision ot ten can be had thus giving,` ten times ten times ten or one thousand classifications for Visible indexing. lt is also apparent that by increasing or decreasing the number of ten primary classifications with a correspondingl change in the first and second subclassifications, the resultant total number of classications will vary as the cube ot the numbers concerned.. y Thus with twenty tabbed spacesY and twenty primary signals and twenty secondary signal numbers there results 20 20 20` or 8000 total possible classifications. It is claimed for this system of multiple visible indexing that it is much quicker, more complete and less fatiguing to the mind and eye of the operator than other systems.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the partitions 14: divide the cards into batches, each of which includes a number ofv cards which will more or less loosely lie between the partitions, and permit readyl manipulations without the operation of the shafts 17. This also permits the cards of the differentclasses. t-o be elevated without drawing other cards upward therewith. Furthermore, the tabs are secured in such a manner that they space the cards to a sufficient degree to permit air spaces therebetween, thereby permitting the cards to more easily move upwardly without disturbing the others.

Attention is also directed to the fact that the crank portions 18 are limited in their movements, after having engaged and lifted certain cards, by the tabs of adjacent remaining cards, in either direction of movement of the shafts.

All of the above relates to the common system of tiling whereby cards, correspondence or other records are removable at will from the file. Protection is also asked in this application for patent for the use of y my device in that also common system of filing whereby cards, correspondence or other records are not removable at will from the file. I refer particularly to such systenis as the card index system of public libraries wherein the cards, for obvious reasons. cannot be removed by the general public.

As shown in Figure 6. the boX is provided with a pair of longitudinal rods 25 which pass through the vertically disposed elongated slots 26 formed in the cards adiacent the ends thereof, said slots permitting a limited vertical movement of the cards while atrthe same time the cards from the boX.

What is claimed is:

l. An index system including a container, cards in the container having depending tabs, means for holding the cards in separate groups, each group of cards including cards of different classifications, the tabs of the cards of corresponding classifications being in alinement longitudinally of the container, and lifting means movable in one direction to engage longitudinally alined tabs of cards of one class to elevate samev and in the opposite direction to engage longitudinally alin-ed tabs of cards of another class.

2. An index system including a container, cards in the container having depending tabs, means for holding the cards in separate groups, each group of cards including cards of different classifications, the tabs of prevent removal of the cards of corresponding classifications bev ing in alinement longitudinally of the container` and a rockable lifting means beneath the tabs and movable in one direction to engage the alined tabs of one classification of cards to elevate same andin-the other direction to engage the alined tabs of another classication of cards to elevate the same.

3. An index system including a container, cards in the container having depending tabs, means for holding the cards in separate groups, each group of cards including cards of different classifications and havingtheir tabs in alinement longitudinally of the container. and cranks beneath the tabs and arranged to be rocked in one direction to en- Igage the alined tabs of cards of one classification and in the other direction to engage lthe alined tabs of another classification` to elevate said cards above the others, the alined tabs of each classification of cards serving as stops for limiting the rocking movements of the cranks.

In testimony whereof, I aiiiX mv signature,

JOHN K. DE LOACH. 

